best places to visit in india

There are many who say that the slopes and the quality of snow in Auli compare with the best in the world. Auli lies in Uttaranchal and nestles in the Garhwal Himalayas. The slopes are flanked by stately conifers and oaks and adding to the thrill of skiing is a 180-degree view of the majestic Himalayan peaks of Nanda Devi (7,817 m), Kamet (7,756 m), Mana Parvat (7,273 m) and Dunagiri (7,066 m), seemingly only a snowball's throw away.

Unlike in the olden days, much of the equipment here is state-of-the-art. A 500 metre long ski-lift and an 800 metre long chair-lift link the upper and lower slopes and snow beaters and
snow-packing machines maintain the smoothness of the slopes. Skiers can enjoy almost 20 km of virgin slopes which provide excellent opportunities for cross-country and downhill skiing. The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) which owns and runs the resort (and three others in Uttaranchal-Dayara Bugyal, Mundali and Munsiyari) has beautifully located hotels here. It also rents out equipment and conducts skiing training courses, all at reasonable prices. It costs
less than Rs 300 per day to hire equipment while a seven-day course for freshers costs around Rs 4,000. The courses go on from January to March which is the best time to visit Auli.
Auli is also surrounded by great places to see. There is a four-kilometre ropeway that takes you to Joshimath, the gateway to Badrinath and the 'Valley of Flowers'. There are other places like the Chenab Lake, Vanshinarayan Kalpeshwar, Bhavisya Badri, etc.
Uttaranchal: Kumaon & Garhwal (HarperCollins Travel Guides)
Getting there: You can drive down from Delhi (500 kms) or from the nearest airport at Dehra Dun (300 km) , or take a bus from Haridwar (277 kms) which is also the nearest railhead.
Staying there: There are several decent hotels, but you should book into the one run by GMVN which is in the resort itself. , www.gmvnl.com.

Uttaranchal: Kumaon & Garhwal (HarperCollins Travel Guides)

Garhwal: Home in the Himalaya

Badri-Kedar yatra: A pilgrimage to the Garhwal Himalayas